8-21-2008 Newsletter

Ray’s Ramblings
August 21, 2008

Dear Parents,

This is the first official copy of Ray’s Ramblings, my weekly newsletter. I will be sending it home every Thursday. This way, if anything needs a response, you can send it back to me on Friday in your child’s take-home folder.

FORMS – I am sending home a notice of any forms that have not been returned to me. Please send these back as soon as possible. Even if you feel the form does not apply to you, just check the box that tells me that, sign and return. We have to have these forms on file.

Upcoming Fundraiser!!

Each year the technology team helps organize a fundraiser to keep our school on the cutting edge by purchasing new technology for the students and teachers. Once again we will be selling Sally Foster gift-wrap and products. This year we are excited to announce we will earn a 50% profit. Look for packets to come home on Friday August 29. The sale will end on September 12th, and the merchandise should arrive around November 19th for pick up on Family Fun Night. We will let you know more later. Thanks for your support.

Box Tops for Education

We are collecting the Box Tops coupons off General Mills products. Go to this website to see a complete list of items bearing these coupons. http://www.boxtops4education.com/Downloads/Global/products.pdf

Assessment

We are still getting to know each other and things are going well! The kids are already getting comfortable and learning our routines and rules. I hope you are hearing about these at home. I have been giving my initial assessment called the Early Literacy Assessment. This gives me a baseline on where we need to begin in our reading groups. I already have some children bringing in homework. I will be giving you the first homework packet at the Parent Orientation night and going over how to use it. Until that time, I would like everyone to practice writing their name. We encourage using an initial capital letter and the rest lowercase. Many of the children are still using all capital letters. Please help them with this. We have already learned the correct way to form the numbers 1-7 (8 tomorrow). I am sending home a sheet with the rhymes we use to form these numerals. Practice these at home as well. We have also learned the color word songs for red and blue. I’m sending home a song sheet. Please create a folder or a binder to keep my handouts at home for reference. I’ll be sending things home regularly. I will also post them on my blog and on my website.

http://www.clray.blogspot.com/
www.carlaray.net

I am sending home a handwriting guide. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! Please take the time to really look at this guide to see the CORRECT formation of letters. This is what I will be teaching. With our very limited time in a half day session, I depend on you to spend time at home reinforcing school work. Every letter should begin at the TOP and come to the bottom. We NEVER start at the bottom and go up. If your child has already developed these bad habits, please help me break them!

Parent Orientation Night (September 11, 2008)

At Open House, I had a sign-up sheet for the parent orientation night. I really need at least one parent represented at this meeting. I will be going over our handwriting and demonstrating many other things you will need to know in order to help your child at home. We will be going over kindergarten curriculum and expectations and the kindergarten report card. Those of you who were unable to come to Open House night or who did not sign up, I need a note telling me which session you would like to attend. This night is for parents only. Please make childcare plans. Each session is only 30 minutes long. Sessions are: 4:30-5:00, 5:15-5:45; 6:00-6:30; 6:45 – 7:15. If you have not signed up, I am sending a reminder home today. Please send in your choice for sessions.


Parent Orientation Night:

Child’s Name: ________________________________

Parent(s) attending: __________________________________________

Please put me down for the following session:

_____ 4:30 – 5:00

_____ 5:15 – 5:45

_____ 6:00 – 6:30

_____ 6:45 – 7:15